Google is starting to remind me of Apple in the '90s: announcing more cool R&D prototypes than they release actual cool products. Even the R&D team names are similar - Google's is called "Advanced Technology and Projects"; Apple's was called "Advanced Technology Group".

Funny. Google's 'moonshots' actually remind me more of another R&D-focused company. Interestingly enough, without that company, the computer industry would have been set back decades, and Apple would most likely have been reduced to a footnote in computer history.

I would rather large companies spend their cash on potentially awesome research that may (or may not) advance computer technology and the human race, than have them stash it away in shady overseas bank accounts.

I think the R&D approach taken by Apple is only good for them, whereas companies like HP or IBM do basic research that is ultimately good for anybody. Just think of the memristor! And there are many other areas, like quantum computing, that Apple doesn't want to touch because they are only interrested in the next cool product. Anybody dismissing all the hard research many companies are willing to pay for is not seeing the big picture, IMHO. Anyways, go basic research!